With JD Vance's Vote, Senate Passes Spending Bill

Vice president had to break the tie
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jul 1, 2025 11:14 AM CDT
With JD Vance's Vote, Senate Passes Spending Bill
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, July 1, 2025.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate Republicans passed President Trump's spending bill on Tuesday by the narrowest of margins, pushing past opposition from Democrats and their own GOP ranks after a turbulent overnight session. Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie to push it over the top, per the AP. The outcome capped an unusually tense weekend of work at the Capitol, where the president's signature legislative priority was at times teetering on the edge of collapse. The legislation still must return to the House for final approval. Trump wants to sign it by July 4.

  • Three nays: In the end, three GOP senators voted against the measure: Susan Collins of Maine joined Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky, per the Washington Post.

  • House uncertainty: Passage in the House is no sure thing. Speaker Mike Johnson had warned senators not to deviate too far from what his chamber had already approved. But the Senate did make changes, particularly to Medicaid, risking more problems as they race to finish by Trump's holiday deadline.
  • Impact: An analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found 11.8 million more Americans would become uninsured by 2034 if the bill became law. Tillis in particular cited the impact on Medicaid recipients in his home state. The CBO said the package would increase the deficit by nearly $3.3 trillion over the decade.

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